IEEE 802.11 describes a communication architecture, which may enable computing devices to communicate via wireless local area networks (WLANs). One of the building blocks for the WLAN is the basic service set (BSS). A BSS may comprise an access point (AP) and a plurality of computing devices, or stations (STA), which may communicate wirelessly via one or more RF channels within a coverage area. The span of a coverage area may be determined based on the distance over which a source STA may transmit data via an RF channel, which may be received by a destination STA.
Within a BSS, a STA may operate in two power management modes: an active mode (AM) and/or a power-save (PS) mode. When the STA is operating in an AM, the STA may be fully powered (within the capabilities of the power supply, for example) and may transmit and/or receive data. When the STA is operating in PS mode, the STA may operate in an active state, during which the STA may transmit and/or receive data, or the STA may enter a doze state during which it operates at lower power consumption (when compared to AM) and capabilities for transmitting and/or receiving data may be disabled. While a given STA is in the PS mode doze state, the given STA may generate data, which is to be transmitted to another STA. The given STA may store, or buffer, the data while the given STA is in PS mode doze state. Upon a subsequent exit from the PS mode doze state and entry into an active state, the given STA may transmit the buffered data to the other STA.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.